Principles of Flight & Control of Rotorcraft

E-learning assessment preparatory questions!

1. List the two categories of rotary wing aircraft and state their primary
differences.

2. Why is the helicopter rotor blade twisted? Also state how the blade pitch
varies from rotor hub to tip.

3. What are two types of aerofoil sections used with rotor blade? List their
characteristics.

4. List the characteristics of the fully articulated rotor system.

5. List the characteristics of the semi-rigid rotor system.

6. State the function of any two of the following items used with rotor systems:
a. vertical hinge
b. horizontal hinge pin
c. trunnion
d. yoke
e. blade gripper bearing

7. Briefly explain the cause of induced flow.

8. List the three types of drag encountered by a helicopter in translational flight
and state how each drag varies with airspeed.

9. State the difference between Centrifugal and Centripetal forces and their
impact on the main rotor system.

10. Explain what is meant by Coning.

11. List the three factors that may cause Coning.

12. Explain what is meant by Lift differential, and state what causes it.

13. State how the effect of Lift differential may be minimised.

14. Define Hovering and hence state the conditions for equilibrium.

15. State how a helicopter may change to a vertical ascent or descent from a state
of Hover.

16. State the cause and hence the consequences of tip vortices during a no
wind hover.

17. Explain the condition known as Ground effect and hence state its
effectiveness.

18. What is Reaction Torque?

19. What helicopter configurations are most likely to be affected by Reaction
Torque?

20. State the primary function of the tail boom mounted variable pitch rotor.

21. Where does the tail boom mounted variable pitch rotor derive its power?

22. Differentiate between blade and disk areas.

23. State how constant heading is achieved during hovering flight.
24. Describe how directional control is achieved during translational flight.

25. Single rotor helicopters tend to drift sideways (to right) during hovering flight
due to lateral (horizontal) thrust of tail rotor. State the action needed to correct
this sideways drift and also the consequence of the action taken.

26. The efficiency of the hovering rotor system improves during translational
flight. Why?

27. The fuselage nose tends to pitch up as the helicopter gains speed. What is the
name given to this tendency and what causes it?

28. The tail rotor becomes aerodynamically more efficient when a helicopter
transitions from a hover to forward flight. Explain why.

29. Improved tail rotor efficiency in forward flight causes the helicopter nose to
yaw to the left if the main rotor turns counter-clockwise. Explain why.

30. Improved tail rotor efficiency in forward flight causes the helicopter nose to
yaw to the left if the main rotor turns counter-clockwise. State how the yaw to
left tendency may be corrected.

31. Explain the cause of Dissymmetry of Lift.

32. List the factors affecting the amount of lift generated by the rotor blades and
hence state why only two factors may be controlled by the pilot.

33. State the purpose of Cyclic pitch control.

34. Explain how Cyclic pitch control works towards balancing lift developed
on the advancing and retreating sides of the rotor disk.

35. What two methods by which may changes in blade pitch be made?

36. What causes dissymmetry of lift on the tail rotor and how is it corrected?

37. What are the two basic types of flapping hinges used on most helicopters?

38. Explain the cause of blade flapping.

39. What is Gyroscopic precession?

40. What is the effect of Gyroscopic precession on helicopter rotors?

41. List the primary controls of the helicopter.

42. State the function of Anti-torque pedals.

43. State the function of the Collective and Throttle control.

44. The retreating blade is required to produce as much lift as the advancing blade
during forward flight. Explain how that may be achieved.

45. Retreating blade stall during forward flight is an inherent problem of rotor
blades. Explain why.

46. List the three warning signs of an impending retreating blade stall.

47. List any three flight conditions that may result in a rotor blade stall.

48. Under what flight conditions would it be advisable to fly slower than normal
to avoid a possible rotor blade stall?

49. List any three of five appropriate measures to avoid a possible rotor blade stall.
50. What is autorotation with reference to helicopter flight? What is the
equivalent of autorotation on fixed-wing aircraft flight?


Toughies!!
51. Sketch the relationship between Airspeed and the various types of drag,
including total drag.

52. By means of suitable sketches explain the cause of coning.

53. Sketch the distribution of lift on the rotor blade from its hub to tip for:

a. untwisted blade
b. ideally twisted blade

54. Sketch the forces in a hover.

55. Sketch the lift vectors for hovering flight with and without the benefit of in-
ground effect.

56. Show on a sketch the air flow through a rotor system during translational
flight.

57. Sketch the cyclic variation of blade airspeed and pitch angle during
translational flight.

58. Show on a sketch the resultant of forces during a hover and translational flight
of a helicopter.

59. List the main design features usually included in single main rotor type
helicopters.

60. The pilot of a fixed wing aircraft is usually seated on the left hand seat while
that of a helicopter sits on the right. Why?

61. As forward airspeed increases, the "no lift" areas move left of centre. Why?

62. Sketch the induced flow velocity pattern during:

a. normal hovering flight
b. settling with power descent

63. List the three rotor blade regions in an auto-rotating descent and hence their
effect.